


Whispers in the Dark

by LadyLanera



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alpha Gabriel/Omega Sam Winchester, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Alternative Universe - FBI, BAMF Billie, BAMF Rowena MacLeod, Car Accidents, Car Chases, Castiel and Gabriel are Siblings (Supernatural), Childhood Trauma, Cults, God | Chuck Shurley is Gabriel's Parent, Hurt Gabriel (Supernatural), Idiots in Love, Kidnapping, M/M, Mention of past Teen Pregnancy, Protective Rowena MacLeod, Rowena Was Married to Chuck, Rowena vs Billie, Sam Wants Kids Badly, THERE WAS ONLY ONE BED, True Mates
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-24
Updated: 2021-03-12
Packaged: 2021-03-14 18:40:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 18,808
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29671563
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyLanera/pseuds/LadyLanera
Summary: Having seen firsthand what happened to his brother after being outed as an Omega at the FBI, Sam decides if it ever comes between love and remaining an agent, he’ll choose the FBI. Only there’s a little hiccup. He’s madly in love with the current Assistant Director of Counterintelligence. It wouldn’t be a problem necessarily if it wasn’t for the fact that Sam knows they’re True Mates--and has known for the past nine years. Whoever said life wasn’t complicated clearly never met Gabe and Sam.When long-kept secrets finally come to light, the two find themselves trapped in the middle of an ongoing feud between Gabe’s family and another vying for power. Nothing ever could be easy for them, could it?
Relationships: Gabriel/Sam Winchester
Comments: 2
Kudos: 22





	1. Lies that You’re Making

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, all.
> 
> Sorry about the delay on this. My new job is, well, new, and I'm still trying to get the hang of finding my home and work balance again. Anyway, long story short, welcome to my new WIP. I've read so many amazing Omegaverse fics out there and wanted to try my hand at it. Hence, this fic was born.
> 
> Now, I admit, it has more plot than usual Omegaverse fics. Sorry, friends. That's not to say there isn't the obligatory heat and rut scene because there are. It's just not the main focus.
> 
> I got this idea after listening to Skillet's "Whispers in the Dark," which is why each chapter's opening italicized lines are from another verse of the song.
> 
> Many thanks go to Midnight_Hunter for being a soundboard sometimes and giving a quick glance over it for me.
> 
> Let's see. Last warnings are read the tags. I've tried to tag everything I could think that could be either triggering or something someone would like/dislike to warn. The Cult tag is mostly because in this fic instead of Chuck being God, he was a cult leader who /thought/ he was God. His cult has been disbanded, though, but it is brought up throughout the fic as well as the childhood trauma inflicted as a result of how Chuck ruled. Anyway, I'll quit yapping in the author's notes at you and let you read. Hope you enjoy.

_Despite the lies that you're making_

_Your love is mine for the taking_

_My love is_

_Just waiting_

_To turn your tears to roses_

__

* * *

He hated being late. Absolutely hated it with a passion, which is why he usually left ridiculously early. However, traffic this morning was a beast coming into work, which he supposed wasn’t any different than usual DC traffic. He just was grumpy, and he couldn’t necessarily pinpoint why exactly.

After two hours of restless sleep, he spent half the morning trying to figure it out. However, he eventually gave up and decided it had to be a result of the extra dose of hormones. After next week, he’d be back to normal. Man, he was never so thankful he worked for the FBI than lately. The stipulation of everyone being on blockers made his hiding in plain sight so much easier hands down.

When a faint, familiar scent tickled his nose near his desk, Sam’s mood turned even more sour for half a moment. _Damn it, Gabe!_ He inhaled slowly, tossing down his briefcase under his desk, pointedly ignoring the new small black box atop of his desk. He’d deal with the no-doubt prank later.

Glancing up at the clock on the far wall of the room, Sam made up his mind. He had about ten minutes before he had to head over for the morning briefing. Just enough time. He removed his long outer black wool coat, tossing it onto his chair prior to heading into the unisex bathroom.

When the lights automatically brightened upon his entrance, he closed the door and locked it. He’d have to be quick with this. He shoved a hand into his right front pocket of his slacks, pulling out the small syringe whose tip was capped thankfully. He meant to do this before leaving, but he had been interrupted by Dean calling to double check if anything was needed for next week. The answer was no, which was something Dean knew when they had last talked two days ago about that very thing.

Lifting up the bottom of his dress shirt, he then uncapped the syringe. Once he found the previous needle mark from last week’s injection, he poked himself with the needle, wincing at the sting before he pushed the plunger down. Letting his head fall forward as he waited, he breathed in and out before he pulled the needle out and tossed it inside the red sharps container hanging next to him.

Oh, the things he did . . .

But he had to do it this way if he wanted to remain an agent and also have his chance at a family. It was the only way since he couldn’t necessarily walk up to Ga—yep, he wasn’t having this convo here.

Several minutes later, walking with his head down and levelheaded again, Sam sat down in the middle of the small, cream-colored conference room at one of four long tables. He hated these meetings with a passion, but they were mandatory. Just once he wished they’d send out housekeeping notes and whatever else this was going to be by email. Otherwise, what was the point of email really?

Bureaucrats. They were always the same. Why he was still expecting it to be different after eight years as a field agent was surely a sign of insanity, he supposed. It wouldn’t ever change.

When he heard someone drop into the seat beside him a moment later, he hesitantly glanced to his right and groaned inwardly. Of course. He then heard someone sit down on his other side. He didn’t even glance to his left as he already knew who was on the other side of him. Where one was, the other was usually close behind. Thick as thieves the women were unfortunately.

“Oh, don’t give us that look,” laughed his fellow agent, smiling widely before she linked their arms casually. “So, Eileen here was telling me how you have next week off. Funny how it coincides around the same time as a certain someone else’s time off. Care to share with the rest of the class?”

“Drop it, Bradbury,” he sighed, pulling his hand back. He knew she meant well. It was one of the things about Charlie he loved. She was honestly like a little sister to him. However, she always drew unnecessary attention onto him during these meetings. He wondered if she was the reason Crowley hated him so much. Or maybe this was left over hatred still from when Dean was an agent.

“Come on, Sam,” she complained. “Why don’t you go for it already?”

“Seriously?” he scoffed, staring at her in disbelief. “Oh, I don’t know.” He leaned closer and lowered his voice so only she could hear. “Maybe because of who he is. Maybe because we don’t even know if he’s interested—” Crap! He groaned as Charlie signed everything out so his partner for the past six years could follow along. Like two peas in a pod, he swore. Here it’d come. Her calling him out on his bullshit excuse and telling the entire world how he was too much of a coward to pull the trigger here.

“Oh, there’s interest. Definite interest,” quipped Eileen behind him, much to his dismay, dropping a comforting hand to his shoulder. “It’s practically screaming it’s there, and you know it.”

He turned to his partner then and forced a polite smile. “Again, he’s the _boss_.” Emphasis and capitalized in big, bold font **Boss**! As in person in charge. Though, that was honestly only part of why he wasn’t going for it here, but the ladies didn’t need to know that.

Eileen signed back feverishly the words ‘Emphasis on former and before you showed up,’ but it did little to settle Sam’s paranoia. Someone was bound to figure out what these two were going on about eventually. And just a little bit of digging wouldn’t mean only Sam getting in trouble here either.

“Exactly!” Charlie agreed. “In case you forget the hierarchy, there’s Crowley and Carter in charge of us, and then way over there on the island of Counterintelligence, there’s _him._ ” She then nudged Sam lightly. “Come on. You know you want to.”

“No.” What he wanted had little to do with anything here if he were honest.

“Yes! Think of how happy you’ll be making everyone. How happy you’ll be making _him_!”

“Don’t you two have other victims to torture?” he groused, wishing he could escape to his desk and get some reprieve. Hell, at this point, he’d even open the box left on his desk for him.

“But we love torturing you,” Eileen laughed jovially beside him.

“Plus, how are we going to get our ship to sail if you won’t even leave the port?”

Yeah. No. He was done here now. He pulled his phone out and sighed. If he stopped paying attention to them, they’d leave him alone. Or the meeting would start and then they’d be forced to leave him alone. Either way, he’d win.

“What are you doing next week anyway?” Charlie asked curiously.

“Babysitting.” The lie rolled off his tongue perfectly.

“Wait. Where’s your brother and Sir Dreamy going to be?”

Okay, so, not so perfectly then. And Cas wasn’t that—actually, never mind. Cas was.

“Otherwise occupied,” he muttered. He scrolled through his email, thankful to see he didn’t have any that were pressing. He’d have to send a message later down to the labs again to check on the fingerprints on the Russo case, but everything else could wait.

“Oh.”

He nearly sighed in relief. Maybe now they’d both leave it alone.

“Didn’t you have to cover for them a few weeks ago, too?”

Sam paused, thinking for a minute. Had he? He didn’t think so, but then again most days blurred together. It was a common coping mechanism for this line of work, Cas would say as Dean nodded blatantly lost in Cas’s blue eyes. He was happy for the two, but they could be so gag worthy sometimes.

“No, that was for something else.” At least he was pretty sure it had to be.

“Well, Alec and Max must think you’re the coolest uncle.”

He snorted. “Yeah. Not so much.”

His twin niece and nephew adored him, sure, but another uncle took the coolest spot. And Sam would gladly give up that title in a heartbeat for his competition. And more but that was beside the point.

“All right,” a booming voice called out sharply from the front of the room. “Phones away.”

Sam put his phone back into standby mode.

“Oi, Winchester! That means you too. Phones away!”

Inclining his head to his arrogant jerk of a boss, Sam shoved his phone back into his pocket with a frown. He was working on it. Jeez, Crowley! When he glanced up, he caught the trickster eyes that always sent his mind one way and heart another.

Oh no! What was _he_ doing here? Sam caught the faint relieved smirk directed his way before those damn trouble-loving soulful whiskey eyes darted back to Crowley and far away from Sam’s.

He heard Charlie and Eileen’s matching quiet squeals horrifyingly beside him. He refused to slink down in his chair in embarrassment, though. Every time he did, Crowley always glared harder.

“Before we get to the briefing, some housekeeping first. Winchester, our shining white knight here in case you’ve been under a rock the past several years,” his boss drawled with a nasty smirk, “is once again taking time off next week. It seems Moose here believes crime occurs once in a blue moon.”

Sam frowned but didn’t take the bait. However, at a muted flare up of bad whiskey filling the air, he nearly gagged. Only the knowledge that only _he_ could smell it prevented that reaction.

“Ketch will be once again filling in while Winchester is _sorely_ missed.” Crowley’s smirk widened exponentially, clearly waiting for Sam’s reaction.

Eileen’s groan, however, distracted Sam enough to make him glance away. Served her right.

“Now, let’s get down to it. You’re probably all wondering why Assistant Director Novak is joining us here today,” announced Crowley, motioning to his left.

Eileen and Charlie instantly glanced at each other with matching smirks. It was like high school all over again, he swore. He, however, tried to brush aside his souring mood to focus. After all, he’d freely admit he was rather curious to hear his boss’s answer. Glancing back, he frowned when the amber eyes he could never get enough of still refused to look his way for once. Huh. That was strange.

While Gabe— _Assistant Director Novak_ —would occasionally join their briefings for some reason, the assistant director typically stood off to the side, observing only. However, the way Ga— _Assistant Director Novak_ (seriously, how hard was it to say that honestly, Sam huffed)—was standing, it was clear this wasn’t for mere observation this time. This was something new.

“Due to unforeseen circumstances,” Crowley stated, “he will be taking some much-needed time away from the office starting next week.”

Frowning, Sam instantly sat up straighter. Gabe was taking time off? Why? And why hadn’t Dean or Cas said anything earlier when they all talked? Hell, for that matter, why was this being announced in the Criminal Investigation briefing, not in Gabe’s actual division he was in charge of?

Watching the assistant director closely, Sam noticed how Gabe’s shoulders were hunched ever so slightly, clearly tense, definitely guarded. However, it was the way the soulful whiskey eyes refused to meet Sam’s still that set the internal bells off the most. Something was definitely wrong here. And he intended to find out what the second they were released.

“Guys, really,” Gabe said quietly, forcing a smile that looked downright worrying at how fake it was. “This leave is only temporary. Nothing to get bent out of shape over. Promise.” The fake smile fell away as his eyes darted about the room, meeting everyone’s eyes but Sam’s. “Partly why I wanted to come here and tell you myself. I’d hate for rumors to start of my untimely demise or whatever you crazy kids decided to say this time to whip up my cool kids into a frenzy again like last time. So, I’m going to say this once and only once, please leave my kiddos alone. Got it?” He shook his head slowly. “I get that we all wish I was still in charge again, but . . . ” he shrugged flippantly, his voice adopting the unnatural seriousness again “we don’t always get what we want sometimes.”

Not even a laugh or a smile touched the lips Sam had stared at for much longer than he’d ever care to admit. He really didn’t like this. Not one bit. He considered sending a text to Cas to find out what was going on, but there was no way his unit chief wouldn’t notice it.

“Crowley,” murmured Gabe, motioning the unit chief had the floor again.

“We wish you all the best, Assistant Director,” Crowley replied respectfully, bowing his head.

Gabe’s eyes swept the room once more before finally meeting the worried hazel for a split second. A soft, tender smile graced the lips directed at Sam before Gabe turned and silently walked out.

“If I find any of you have disobeyed those orders,” Crowley remarked darkly, “you’ll find yourselves in a predicament few ever come back from. That is a solemn promise. Understood?”

The group replied as one that they did.

Sam, however, couldn’t stop staring at the now closed door. Something happened. Something big to cause that reaction from Gabe. He had known his brother-in-law for nine years now, and he couldn’t ever remember that response in all their years. Gabe wasn’t even like that after losing the twins in the mall once. This was . . . like someone had just Thanos-ed all the candy in the world away.

“Moving on,” Crowley proclaimed. “In addition to the $13 million in jewels that mysteriously vanished, we can now add Greek heiress Andrea Kormos to the list. She was last seen—”

“Charlie?” Sam whispered out of the corner of his mouth.

“Yeah?” She gave him serious side-eye as Sam rarely did anything like this before.

He carefully pulled his phone out and thrust it into her hand under the table. “Text Cas.”

She leaned forward, placing an elbow on the table to act casually. “With?” she mouthed back.

“What’s with G?” He kept his eyes forward, watching Crowley drone on about the brazen theft that had occurred a week ago. He was thankful that he always kept his phone silenced. When he felt Charlie’s hand against his arm, he turned his ear to her but refused to look away from the board of surveillance photos Crowley was currently explaining documented Kormos’s last known movements.

“Nothing. Why?” she said under her breath, reading the replied text. “Has he done something?’

“When did you last talk?” Sam replied quietly. He then waited, knowing she was typing out the reply feverishly to send back.

“Two weeks ago,” she answered for his ears only.

Sam’s brows furrowed. They last talked two weeks ago? That didn’t seem right, though. Gabe would always send a text to Cas. It was a silly thing the brothers did that Dean and Sam always teased them over. Unless Cas was taking the question literal. Yeah, that was more likely on second thought.

“And by text?” he muttered, dragging a hand over his mouth casually and rubbing at it for a moment. There were more warning signs going up by the second. He anxiously awaited that reply, just barely keeping his foot from tapping impatiently.

“Last night. When he made it home after leaving his office. Why?” She then inhaled sharply, glancing up and pretending she was listening. She smiled when Crowley glanced at her. “Sorry, boss!”

Crowley glared back before he turned away to return to explaining about the gathered evidence.

“Yes, actually, he was distant,” Charlie relayed under her breath. “Should we be concerned?”

He turned fully towards her then. “Unsure. Will text more later.”

She nodded, sending the message before she handed the phone back under the table. He quickly shoved it into his pocket. He needed to get out of the briefing and talk to Gabe. If he could just talk to his brother-in-law alone, Sam could figure all this out. He knew it.

At a sharp knock against the door a moment later, everyone’s eyes darted towards it.

Sam’s frown deepened as he forced a neutral expression to his face. What was _she_ doing here?

“Sorry for interrupting, Fergus,” apologized Agent Carter, their bureau chief, as she stepped into the room. Her eyes then fell onto Sam. “Could I borrow Agent Winchester for a bit?”

Crowley’s eyes instantly darted over to him in obvious confusion, but he nodded sharply.

Sam reluctantly stood, just as confused really. He slowly made his way towards her, wondering what exactly was going on. He followed her silently to her office a few moments later, ignoring the whiffs of slightly soured whiskey every now and then he’d get. The second she closed the door behind him, he felt his heart start to race. Never a good sign when she closed the door.

“I apologize for pulling you away just now,” she stated as she walked past him to her desk.

“It’s all right, ma’am,” he replied politely, inclining his head forward as he took the seat she motioned to in front of her desk while she sat down.

“I’m going to get right to it.” She clasped her hands in front of her atop of her desk with a heavy sigh. “What is your exact relationship status with Assistant Director Novak?”

Sam stared at her numbly for half a moment before he cleared his throat. “Uh, the assistant director is my brother-in-law, ma’am.” He felt his stomach roll in dread. _Oh no._

“Other than that, Sam. Would you say you two are friendly with one another? Close even?”

“Ma’am?” What was happening here? Did she know? Had they found out his secret somehow?

She sighed heavily, shaking her head. “I realize the nature of my question is very personal, albeit it even a little awkward considering you’re my subordinate. However, I require your honest answer.”

“We’re friends, yes. We frequently see one another outside of work, namely when we visit our brothers. In fact, we’re expected to be at the twins’ birthday party tonight.” He licked his lips gradually, watching her digest this information he knew she already knew. “Ma’am, I apologize, but has something happened I’m unaware of exactly with Assistant Director Novak?” It only made the most sense after all.

Her lips pinched together for a brief second before she glanced away. “This does not leave the room,” she ordered, giving him the familiar hard look of seriousness. “Is that understood?”

“Yes, ma’am.” Sam tried to keep his heart from racing with hellish scenarios that explained.

“This morning at approximately 0230, Assistant Director Novak’s townhouse was broken into by an unknown assailant. Thankfully, he wasn’t home at the time. However, approximately five minutes later, another assailant managed to bypass our security and entered his office here as well.”

 _What?_ Sam instantly leaned forward, mind racing. “Was anything taken?”

“According to Gabriel, nothing,” she replied, waving a hand in obvious disbelief. “However, considering your text to your brother-in-law just now, you’ve noticed his . . . odd behavior as well.”

Sam’s head tilted slightly. How did she know about that?

“Naturally,” she explained at his unspoken question, “all family members are under surveillance for preemptive security measures. The last thing we need is someone to use a family member’s safety against a high-ranking official, especially when that agent is in Counterintelligence.”

“Of course,” he replied quietly, kicking himself over it. Of course Cas would be watched. Any weakness could be and would be exploited if an unsub had enough motive and determination.

She then sighed quietly. “While nothing was taken according to him, a message was left.” She glanced down to her desk, silently picking up a manila folder and handing it to him. “Specifically this.”

Sam quickly grabbed it from her, slowly opening the folder.

His mouth instantly went dry the second he caught the photo with words scribbled on it. He recognized the scene immediately. It was from last month. He and Gabe had agreed to babysit the twins while their brothers had a romantic date night. Naturally, Dean and Cas weren’t necessarily sold on the idea until Gabe and Sam both claimed they’d double their efforts and babysit together. In reality, Sam had only agreed to spend more time with Gabe.

He stared down at the photo more, swallowing slowly. They all looked cozy together on the sofa, faces illuminated by whatever movie they were watching. With the twins curled up in their laps, Sam had his head resting atop of the strong shoulder, clearly snuggled into Gabe’s side, fast asleep, as if he belonged there. And Gabe looked absolutely relaxed, at peace. It clearly gave off certain . . . vibes.

Sam remembered waking up later that night on the sofa, a blanket draped atop of him with the troublemakers nowhere in sight. He had been so irritated with himself for falling asleep. That was until he found the three in the spare guest room fast asleep. Then all irritation went out the window replaced by utter softness, adoration, and unwavering love. He nearly broke then and came clean about what he was doing, about what he wanted more than anything in the entire world.

“So, I’ll ask you again. What is your current relationship with Assistant Director Novak?”

His eyes flicked up from the photo to her.

The words ‘He’s next’ echoed in Sam’s mind, sending him into a frenzy of panic for Gabe.

“It’s . . .” Sam’s voice cut out unexpectedly. He paused for half a moment before he tried again, clearing his throat. “It’s not what it looks like, ma’am. I fell asleep while watching some dumb kid’s movie we had on for the twins.”

“Quite frankly, Winchester, I don’t give a crap about that,” she replied flatly. “I’m asking a direct question. Are you currently in a romantic relationship with Assistant Director Novak?”

“No, ma’am.”

“You understand if we discover you’re lying, you’ll find yourself in more hot water than if you just told the truth? He’s not in charge of you, so there is no reason why you can’t be. Alpha-Alpha relationships are rare to see, taking more work obviously with the egos, but they do happen.”

“Yes, ma’am. I understand that.” He planted his feet and squared his shoulders, staring her dead in the eyes. “However, I am not in a romantic relationship with Gabe.”

Even though, Sam badly wished he were. He had ever since he met the sarcastic troublemaker at Dean and Cas’s engagement party in the backyard nine years ago. From their very first meeting, he thanked his lucky stars he had been on scent blockers and suppressants. Otherwise, that meeting would have gone so differently.

However, the second he smelled the whiskey-laced hot cocoa with a hint of smokey campfire, Sam was a goner. He knew what his strong reaction meant the second it happened, even more so when he heard Gabe’s confused grumbling of wishing he could find out where the infuriating scent of Christmas trees and books was coming from. Of course Sam did. He wasn’t an idiot.

They were True Mates. Even with Sam actively suppressing his scent through blockers, Gabe still had somehow smelled him. That only happened with True Mates. However, nothing could happen between them. Not then and especially not now.

Even if their brothers did give their blessings, repeatedly, sometimes annoyingly so, it didn’t change the fact that the second he and Gabe were together, the truth Sam had fought so hard to hide would be revealed. After all, he had seen it firsthand with Dean. And while his brother’s status being revealed worked out in the long run, it wouldn’t for Sam. He wanted to remain saving lives, to continue being an agent, not work at Dad’s auto repair shop beside Dean. If he gave in even just once, he wouldn’t be allowed to be an agent anymore. It was just the way it was. After all, it was in the manual in big, bold letters: **Omegas are not permitted to work for the FBI**. **Only Alphas and Betas may apply.** It was right under the paragraph explaining how all employees were required to wear scent blockers since they worked in close proximity with the general public.

He considered Gabe to be a close friend if not best friend to be honest. However, the lie still was there, Sam Winchester the Alpha. Whenever he’d be forced to go off the scent blocker for whatever reason, he’d mask it with faux Alpha scents, just as he had been taught all those years ago. It hadn’t failed him yet. And the Christmas tree and books that drove Gabe insane were quickly explained away by their brothers long ago with the ridiculous overpowering candles they had managed to find and lit every time he and Gabe would be near one another for long periods of time. Along with the lie that it was Dean’s scent. After a couple of times of it, Gabe accepted it, seemingly at ease with the scents, which would always cause Dean to glance at Sam somberly with a frown, knowing the truth.

It wasn’t that he thought Gabe wouldn’t keep his being an Omega secret. He knew his brother-in-law would in a heartbeat. However, he wouldn’t ask him to lie. It was one thing that Cas knew, but he didn’t want Gabe to find out ever. He wouldn’t force his brother-in-law to lie and risk his career.

“I see.” Agent Carter sighed quietly, holding a hand back for the folder. She nodded when he handed it back without hesitation.

“Ma’am?”

“Yes?”

“Am I correct to assume he’s going on leave because the current belief is that someone is using me to threaten him?”

“You would be correct, yes,” she replied with a sharp nod. “At least partially. He was supposed to be off next week regardless. However, he’s decided to take a temporary leave of absence until we can manage to figure out who is behind this.”

“Are there any ideas?”

“Oh, several,” she sighed. “But none are panning out, and we unfortunately didn’t manage to capture either assailant so we have no one to interrogate.”

He nodded silently. “There was no evidence left behind?”

“No. They seemed to know the countermeasures quite well unfortunately. In fact, the one who managed to bypass our security seems to have intimate knowledge of exactly where the cameras were and what the guard schedule was for shift change.”

Sam blinked. That suggested an inside job. Someone they worked with had broke in?

“Anyway, I know you’re scheduled for time off starting later today, but I’m going to give you the rest of the day off now.”

“Ma’am?” She was dismissing him?

She gave him a wry smile. “Frankly, Sam, I need you out there to do the most good, not here.”

“You’re using me as bait then?”

“Something like that.”

Sam nodded slowly, forcing himself not to react to the callous regard for his safety. “Is there anything else, ma’am?”

“No. That’s it.” She inhaled deeply, raising her chin slightly. “You’re dismissed.”

Bowing his head slightly, Sam then stood and calmly walked out of her office. It was nine in the morning. It wasn’t as if he could necessarily head over to Dean’s, but it wasn’t also like he could head home either. If there was someone watching him, he needed to keep people safe.

As he walked towards his desk, he found his mind pondering over everything she had said. One startling fact was still playing over in his head repeatedly. Gabe wasn’t home. However, that was in stark contrast to what Cas said. So, Gabe had lied, but why was the question. And where was he instead?

“So, what did the big boss want?” Charlie asked the second he walked past her desk with Eileen leaning on Charlie’s other side. The briefing must have ended early.

He paused for half a moment before he turned towards them and sighed.

“Could you do something for me?” he asked quietly.

“For you, sure.” Charlie cracked her knuckles with a wide smile. “What do you need, Chief?”

Sam grabbed a pen and jotted down a quick phone number on a piece of scratch paper, pushing it across her desk to her. He caught her surprise at the words ‘Discreet. Being watched. 0230 this morning’ written below the phone number that was Gabe’s personal cell number that only five, maybe six, knew.

“Could you try to locate this for me?” Sam asked, meeting her look with a finger pointing at what he had written on the note. “Trying to get it for Cas’s birthday, and I keep hitting dead ends.”

“Yeah. Course.” She caught his tap of his finger against the time he had written. She pulled up Google on one monitor, typing something in that he didn’t recognize.

“Shoot,” interrupted his partner. “I forgot. Need this cell run ASAP. Sorry, Sam. It’s for the Macon case. Might be tied to our shooter.” Her eyes met his, conveying she had his back like always.

He almost wished it were connected to the Macon case. At least then they’d have something on that grizzly shootout that killed five several weeks back. Other than it was obvious turf related, they had nothing to go on. But the shooting did seem to prove someone wanted to make a loud, clear statement.

“Sorry, Chief. Hers takes priority.” Charlie smiled before she moved to her other screen. She typed the cell phone number he jotted down into her program to triangulate the cell tower location. It took several moments before an address they all knew well popped up. “Oh,” she said breathlessly, staring up with wide eyes and matching Eileen’s shocked look.

3308 N St NW in Georgetown.

He nodded jerkily, seeing it just as they had. That was his address. Hidden behind the cubicle wall, he signed out to ask when the signal first appeared, watching Charlie quickly carry out his request. The second the circle blipped from the screen entirely, he closed his eyes. Gabe had been outside his place from 2140 to five minutes after Sam had left for work this morning. Why was the question.

When Charlie opened her mouth soon after, he shook his head sharply. He signed once more, asking her to dump the phone records. The second it popped up a few moments later, he looked it over, frowning. Most of the numbers were either his or Cas’s, which was to be expected. However, the moment he saw the one that didn’t fit, he stood straight up. A 40 second inbound call from an unknown number at 2120. Twenty minutes later, the nightly text to Cas while Gabe was outside of Sam’s place.

Charlie leaned closer to him. “Whose number is this?” she asked under her breath while Eileen nodded that she wanted to know as well.

Frowning deeply, he tapped his ring finger, knowing they now understood why the secrecy.

“Run this number for me,” he asked, pointing again at the unknown number. It took a few moments, but the records popped up not long after. Only one line was on it, however.

“A burner phone by the looks of it,” Charlie explained, fingers flying across her keyboard like a mad woman. “Purchased earlier in the day yesterday from a convenience store a few blocks from here.” There were more frantic keyboard strokes. “It was only on for that short time.” She glanced back at him.

Eileen, however, beat her to it, signing feverishly asking what was going on.

“Thanks, Charlie,” he said with a forced laugh. He then pushed off to leave, lightly patting Eileen’s shoulder. “Unfortunately, partner, I’ve been sent home for the day. I’ll text you both later.” He didn’t wait for either to reply before he whirled around and headed to his desk to grab his stuff.

Eileen, however, had none of that, though. She stepped in front of him when he went to leave.

“Everything’s fine. I’ll see you both in a week.” He sidestepped her a moment later, brushing past with his briefcase, coat, and keys in hand. He couldn’t give them the answers they wanted. Not yet. However, he sure as hell was going to talk to Cas now. The lies were staggering now. Maybe between the two of them, they could get Gabe to talk and find out just what the hell was going on here exactly.

He rushed down the stairs towards the parking garage. He really didn’t like this. He didn’t like it at all. Something was going on. His heart thrummed with worry for Gabe. Snorting inwardly, he realized he had given up all pretenses now of trying to correct himself. He knew Gabe as Gabe first. Then knew the sarcastic, flirty asshole as Assistant Director Novak when they met a year later on Sam’s first day as an agent eight years ago after Gabe had been promoted from Section Chief of Criminal Investigation to Assistant Director of Counterintelligence. His promotion was still a shock and source of speculation.

Approaching the blue Dodge Charger, he felt the hairs on the back of his neck start to rise. Then he saw it. The tires were slashed. As he rounded the other side, he confirmed that it was all _four_ tires. At the sound of a car approaching from behind, his hand inched closer to his holster, at the ready. However, when the window rolled down and he caught the muted scent, his hand fell to his side. _Gabe._

“See you got the same treatment. Hop in, Stretch. You can deal with that later.”

Frowning, Sam turned around before his mouth dropped. That was definitely not the usual canary yellow muscle car. However, the grumpy look on Gabe’s face caused his insides to twist more.

“Unless you’re planning on changing all four yourself and still making it to the party at a decent hour?” Gabe drawled with a slight edge that clearly conveyed just what he thought about that idea.

“Yeah. Sure. Thanks.” Sam flashed a small smile. “Let me just get the presents from the trunk.”

“No problem.” His brother-in-law turned away, eyes darting about the garage. It was almost as if he was expecting someone to ambush them. His right hand was down by his side, where Sam would guess Gabe was holding his service weapon out of sight.

Sam quickly set his bag down next to the non-descriptive official government vehicle from the motor pool. He then headed back to his car, sighing and opening the trunk. He grabbed the two medium-sized wrapped gifts, closing the trunk and walking back.

“Super soakers?” he quipped, finally having lost his earlier gruffness and sounding a bit more like himself thankfully.

“Nerf Guns.” Sam then laughed when he set them next to the large, wrapped gift that took up half of the backseat and added his briefcase to the back as well. “See you’re still trying to outdo me.” He closed the back-passenger door before he hopped into the front. “What on Earth did you get them now?”

“Drum set.” Sure enough, Gabe _was_ holding his gun down by his side, but he holstered it again.

Sam decided to let it go for now. “You want Dean to punch you again, don’t you?”

Gabe snorted. “He can try. Assault charges on a government official, though, might stop him.”

“Eh, didn’t stop him last year, though, did it?”

“Hey now, the kids loved their Play-doh and glitter.”

“Pretty sure our brothers didn’t.”

Gabe shrugged, slowly driving out of the garage. The seriousness made a rapid return.

Sam frowned at the impatient tapping against the steering wheel a moment later.

“What’s going on?”

“Nothing. Why?”

“Gabe,” Sam sighed. “You and I both know that’s bullshit.” Gabe’s hands curled minutely before they relaxed. “You were outside my place for some reason all night last night. You’re tenser than I’ve ever seen before. And Carter seems to think you and I are in a relationship because of that message last night. So, out with it.” Hands instantly curled tight against the steering wheel again as if to strangle it. “I deserve to know.” He caught the low, responding huff and watched anger seep into the amber eyes as the disgusting sour whiskey made a roaring comeback. “What’s going on?”

“Drop it, Sam.”

“We can find out whoever is blackmailing or threatening—”

“I said, _drop it_ ,” repeated his brother-in-law through clenched teeth.

“Yeah, well, I’ll drop it when you start answering my questions!” Sam snapped back, losing all patience now. “Damn it! Carter sent me home for the purpose of baiting whoever is doing this.”

“Yeah, figured that one out myself, thanks. Why the hell do you think I’m here, hmm? Driving Mister Winchester around the big city?” he growled in response, jaw clenching harder. “Of course she’d use you as bait. It’s the obvious thing to do. Draw out whoever it is. Capture. Interrogate. Uncover the whole stupid fucking plot. It’s a freakin’ _Criminal Minds_ episode arc for fuck’s sake.”

The more anger that seeped into Gabe’s voice, the more Sam felt the pit in his stomach grow. His brother-in-law was always in control of himself even when Dean was jamming down every single button. Or when the twins did something potentially dangerous and would send Sam’s heart to drop in absolute fear, there Gabe would be, easy going as always, calm and collected. This wasn’t the man Sam knew. He didn’t recognize this person at all.

“What do they want?”

“If I knew that, we wouldn’t be here,” Gabe replied dryly, regaining some emotional control.

“Have they made any demands? What about the forty-second call? What was said in it?”

His brother-in-law forced out a half-groan, half-growl sigh.

“I’m just trying to work through this, Gabe.”

“I know you are,” he replied quietly. “There haven’t been any demands. No other messages since the photo of us was left on my desk. The call—it was static for about twenty seconds followed by a robotic voice saying, ‘You can’t save him.’ That’s all I have, sport.”

“Him? Not my name? Just him?” A clipped nod was all he received in response. “Then, how do you know the message even meant me? It could have meant Cas.”

“Because it’s not—” Gabe cut himself off sharply and sighed heavily as he forced himself to calm down again. “Because it’s not the first message I got. All right?”

 _“What?”_ Sam turned as far as the seat belt would allow. “How many messages have you gotten?”

“Three.”

“And I’m just finding this out _now_?” What was Gabe thinking here?

“I’ve got it handled.”

“Clearly not well,” Sam shot back.

“Well, you’re not dead, now are you? So clearly I’ve managed that at least.”

“Oh, yeah, pat yourself on the back for that for sure.” At the blaring of a car horn, Sam then scoffed, crossing his arms and giving Gabe Bitch face #27. “And running a red light. _Wow._ That’ll be fun to explain when Carter drags my ass into her office in two weeks.”

“Will you quit bitching for one goddamn minute so I can think?”

“No, I don’t think I will,” Sam snapped back. “You’ve had three messages threatening me, and you don’t say a goddamn fucking word about it?! Seriously!” He then let out a strangled yell when Gabe turned sharply right, the tires squealing. “Are you _trying_ to kill us now?”

“Hilarious.”

“I doubt our family will think so when they have to—”

“Oh for the love of fuck’s sake,” Gabe snarled, glancing upwards in obvious irritation. “We’re being followed, all right, Sasquatch? Now, if you’d like to be ambushed, sure, by all means, but I really don’t want to have to fill out the goddamn paperwork over discharging my service weapon. Okay?”

“You’re driving like a crazy person with government plates. Of course you’re being followed. They’re probably calling it in for a drunk driver or something.” Sam then inhaled sharply when the car jolted forward as Gabe slammed the gas pedal down to the floor after they finally got out of the residential district. The engine roared with life, fully open, as it darted in and out of traffic gracefully somehow. “I swear to God, if you crash, I’m going to let your brother deal with you first. And then once he’s done, _my_ brother can chew you the rest of the way out for this.”

“Got it, champ. Now sit back and shut up, will you? You’re distracting me!”

“Oh, well, many apologies, _Assistant Director._ ”

No one could rile him up quite like Gabe could. However, instead of cowering, he instead wanted nothing more than to give into the rising lust that always spiked during their fights. The pull between love and adoration vs contempt and fury was always a balancing act. They were both stubborn, headstrong, afraid to back down and show weakness. However, the need to be dominated, to give as good as he got, to prove he wasn’t weak like the stereotypes said he should be always peaked during these moments. He wanted to prove how wrong those beliefs were.

Dean had once said those thoughts were a result of their trauma pre-Bobby and Ellen. His big brother admitted he felt the same sometimes with Cas and suggested Sam should talk to someone, preferably Gabe, about it since talking openly to Cas had helped Dean tremendously. However, considering Gabe didn’t even know the truth about Sam, that was a big fat zero of ever happening.

When the car cruised back into another residential area, Sam frowned but made sure he didn’t say anything. He closed his eyes as they ran through two more red lights. He could only imagine what his section chief was going to say about this later on. It was going to be a lecture of a lifetime for sure.

“Two more blocks, and then we’re back onto the freeway,” Gabe muttered beside him.

Two more stoplights being run he meant, Sam thought bitterly. He grabbed the door handle and inhaled sharply when they launched up over something. The pungent scent of bad whiskey wafted around, forcing Sam to do his best not to react to it. Gabe’s blockers were nonexistent, and it was clear how stressed he was. The car darted in and out of traffic again as they raced up towards the on ramp.

A second later, there was a loud bang. Everything went flying as glass exploded and metal crumpled. After a sharp pain to the side of Sam’s head, a feeling of utter weightlessness crossed his mind briefly. However, there was no noise after the initial bang and hard jolt. When the weightlessness finally stopped, Sam groaned, turning his head carefully.

“Gabe?” he rasped, coughing quietly. God, everything hurt, and it was so difficult to stay awake.

Then the once absent noise roared back in like a freight train.

A blaring car horn filtered in before Sam found Gabe slumped over the wheel, motionless.

Metallic scraping gained his attention before doors burst open and hands reached inside.

Sam blinked, trying to look past the extreme blurriness. He then felt someone reach across him, undoing his seat belt before carefully putting a c-collar around his neck prior to pulling him out.

“No . . . stop . . .” He watched himself be pulled further and further from Gabe, unable to stop it. He was too weak to do anything.

“Shh. Just rest,” a kind voice murmured softly near his ear. “We’ve got you. You’re safe now.”

A second later, he felt a needle sticking him followed by some kind of cold liquid stinging as it entered his bloodstream.

“Just close those pretty little eyes of yours and rest. You’ll be together again soon. Promise.”

He felt himself be loaded into the back of another vehicle, coughing and gasping. Everything hurt. However, as time passed, he felt more of the sharp pain slip away and dull to bearable levels. They must have given him some type of pain medication. His tongue felt leathery, though.

“Hurry up. Ten seconds!” a voice called out sharply from outside the van. “Oh, fuck!”

“Boss isn’t going to be happy about this, man.”

“I told you not to hit them that hard, you dumbass! Just get him inside. We’ll deal with it later.”

Sam tried to push past his fatigue, but he couldn’t see faces. The second he saw Gabe gently lowered beside him, though, he tried to scoot closer, grateful when someone helped him. _Oh, Gabe._

“GO! GO! They’re almost here!” Doors slammed shut, and then the vehicle lurched forward.

Darkness followed just as sounds of sirens bounced around inside the getaway vehicle. So close.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the evil cliffhanger. I know. But next chapter is "There was only one bed" trope so hopefully that makes up for it somewhat.


	2. Your Love Is Mine for the Taking

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the delay on this. I've been feverishly working on my Gabriel Big Bang fic (that just posted yesterday/today). Anyway, there be some smut ahead as a certain pair of idiots fulfill the "There was only one bed" and "True Mates" bond. Hope you enjoy.

_Despite the lies that you're making_

_Your love is mine for the taking_

_My love is_

_Just waiting_

_To turn your tears to roses_

When Sam woke up hotter than hell, he was in a small, cramped room that held only a double-sized bed. The messy mop top resting on his chest gave him pause, but the muted scent of whiskey, fire, and hot cocoa quickly calmed his nerves. He could feel Gabe’s deep, even breathing and sighed silently. Now, they just needed to figure out where the hell they were and come up with a plan of attack.

At the sound of the door squeaking open, Sam’s arm wrapped tighter around Gabe, ready to fight if need be. A tall, muscular brown-haired man walked inside with a plastered on disarming smile.

“Excellent. You’re both awake,” he greeted them cheerfully. “That’ll make this easier.”

Sam frowned, but said nothing. If he kept quiet, maybe they’d lower the temperature.

“Now, we went through a lot of trouble to retrieve you. I understand there is some bad blood between us as a result.” Another forced smile. “However, you’ll come to see we’re not the enemy you believe we are. In fact, would you like some food first? Or should we just get on with it already?”

“What do you want?” Gabe growled back, nearly startling Sam as a result.

“The question, Assistant Director Novak, is what do _you_ want,” their captor replied neutrally. “Now, as you can see, we’re not total barbarians. We didn’t separate you from your mate, especially not so close to your impending cycles. We’ve dealt with both your wounds from the wreck and made sure you’ve received adequate fluids as well.”

Sam felt his heart stop. What?

“I’d imagine you’re both feeling better than you did twenty years ago.”

“And yet you kidnapped us,” Gabe drawled clearly not amused.

“It was either us or them,” simply stated their captor. “And I think you’ll realize you’d rather it be us than them.” He then sighed. “I’ll leave you both alone. However, when I return, we’re going to have a longer chat. If you behave, it’ll go quickly. If not, well . . .” He bowed his head, his short fluffy brown hair waving slightly. “Until next time, Assistant Director.” Their captor then calmly walked back out, closing the door and locking it behind him.

“Fuck.”

“Gabe—”

“I’ll figure it out, Sam,” he replied with a heavy sigh before he lifted his arm horrified.

“He said they were giving us fluids to keep us hydrated.”

“Yeah,” Gabe grumbled, glaring at the bruised needle marks by his elbow.

Sam watched the action for a few minutes, feeling the gnawing guilt eating him alive inside. No way Gabe hadn’t heard the mentioning of impending cycle. No matter how awkward it was going to be, it had to be discussed. Sooner rather than later considering how hot Sam already felt.

“Gabe?”

“Yeah?”

“We have a problem.”

A derisive snort filled the room. “We have several. Which one are you referring to here?”

Sighing heavily, he hated how this was how the truth was going to come out in here days from his heat. “I’m serious, Gabe. He wasn’t lying when he mentioned cycle. It’s why I was supposed to be off next week.” Because once his heat hit, he’d be in no shape to do anything but be fucked. Literally.

“Ditto.”

“Huh?” Was that jackass even listening to him? Probably not. This was a serious problem.

“All right. Fine.” Gabe huffed grumpily. “Thought we’d have this conversation somewhere else, but here we are.” Pausing for half a moment, he drew in a large breath. “You’re going into heat, and I’m going into rut.” _Oh._ “Just like how it’s been the past nine years since we met and had that whole Love at First Scent and all that True Mate bullshit stuff,” he stated coolly as if it was common knowledge.

Sam’s mouth dropped. “You know?!” Gabe knew this entire time?

“That my idiot brother and yours have been lying with those shitty Yankee Doodle candles to cover your scent? Yes, Sam, I’m aware.”

“Why didn’t you say anything?”

“Because you obviously weren’t comfortable with us being True Mates.”

“What?”

No. That wasn’t it at all. He didn’t want Gabe to have to lie just so Sam could continue being an agent. That was _it_. He was so damn comfortable with them being together. Sort of. There was also the whole thing of Gabe being assistant director, but Charlie and Eileen were right ultimately. Gabe wasn’t his boss, so there was no gross misuse of power here really.

“How else would you like me to put it?” Gabe huffed, clearly growing irritated again.

“No, you’re wrong. That wasn’t—I’m an Omega,” Sam said at an obvious loss of words. “I’m . . . it wasn’t ever because of you. Honest. I would love it if we were together—”

“Then why _aren’t_ we?” he pushed back.

“Because Omegas can’t work at the FBI,” Sam rambled on, “and you’re the assistant director, and I’m just a field agent, and our brothers, and everyone I’ve ever slept with or loved practically dies, and then there’s the whole you’re clearly experienced and I’m still a fumbling bi mess on a good day.”

“What?” Gabe gave a quiet laugh. “Sam, I—okay.” He shook his head fondly. “So, what we’ve learned here today is we’re a couple of dumbasses.” Rolling his eyes, he forced a chuckle. “I didn’t pursue it because I thought you weren’t interested. And you didn’t because of a whole hell of a lot of reasons that boil down to you not knowing I don’t give a shit about any of that.”

“Did you miss the part where I said everyone I’ve ever loved or slept with practically dies?”

“No, heard that part,” the brat remarked with an eye roll. “However, denying yourself because of what ifs is frankly stupid. And while we’re at, you know, it’s a little insulting, too.”

“Excuse me. How?”

“All of this is because you’re allowing your fear to control you instead of discussing it with me rationally so we can work it out like, you know, normal couples.”

“I’m trying to keep you alive.”

“Yeah, well, I think we’ve learned what happens when we try to keep each other alive.”

“Fine. We still have the other big issue, though.” At Gabe’s confused frown, Sam sighed heavily. “He said mated. He thinks we’re together already.” He wiped at his brow, moping away the sweat.

Neither had mate marks, though. They hadn’t even scent bonded yet.

“We can fix that.”

“Gabe . . .”

“Look, let’s totally get it all out in the open, okay?” He waited for the nod. “We’re both going to end up doing lots of mindless fucking thanks to our impending cycles. That’s a fact we can’t outrun. So, we can either have a moment to ourselves now where we’re in semi-control . . . or later when we’re really not. Personally, I’d like not to hurt you during our first time, Sam.”

“Here?” In this small, cramped room with only a bed? Where they could be caught at any moment? Sam shifted slightly, cursing his freakishness again. Getting caught shouldn’t have merited this.

“I know. Not exactly ideal, but we have to work with what we have.” Gabe then flashed a thinly amused smirk. “Plus, not everyone is cool as shit as me. You’re an unmated Omega. At least with the claim, you’d be free from any of that other crap that happens. No one goes against an Alpha’s claim.”

“Are you sure?” Oh, god. Why the fuck was Sam arguing against this? It was what he wanted. Had dreamt of having for years now. He was so close to finding out if fantasy was close to reality.

“Am I sure about sinking my teeth in that pretty neck of yours,” Gabe drawled, “getting a big whiff of those books, trees, and gunpowder? You bet your leaky ass I am. Wanted to since we met.”

Ignoring the quip about his ass, Sam barely kept the smile from his face. “But when we get back—” It’d be over for him. Just like it had been for Dean and Cas all those years ago.

“We’ll explain that we’re dumbasses. It’s fine.”

“Gabe, they won’t let me stay once it’s obvious I’m an Omega. You know the rules.”

“Let me handle that later. Right now, we need to stay present here in this moment. And our big thing right now is you being unclaimed. I know it’s not ideal. That it’s not me taking you out to some fancy restaurant or wherever, treating you like the goddamn prince you are, worshiping you and such, but I promise once we’re free, all that and more for you. I will not hurt you. Any more than a claim bite typically does at least.” When Sam moved to argue, Gabe went up onto his hands to stare at him with a grimace and sharp inhale that quickly vanished. “Listen to me. I will protect you with my life. I will keep you safe and alive. I just need you to trust me.”

“It’s not a matter of trust.”

“Well, whatever it is, I need you to believe me. I know it’s not what you were hoping for here exactly. We can fix that later. Right now, though, we are on a ticking time bomb. We will be mated by the end of this. We can’t exactly escape it being in a four-by-four room, you know?”

“You’ll lose your position.”

“Cool. Hate it anyway,” Gabe remarked offhandedly. “Only took it so I wouldn’t be your boss.”

Sam’s head reared back in surprise. “Seriously?” He was the reason Gabe left?

“The second I realized you were my True Mate at our brothers’ engagement party, I promised myself I’d never be in charge of you. So, once you got closer to graduating, I applied for the assistant director gig. And let’s face it. Other than the fancy title, all I am is a glorified paper pusher now. So, yeah, I hate it, meaning it won’t be that big of a loss if I lose it. Now, will you please let me bite you?”

“No.”

“Oh for the love of—” he growled, entirely frustrated.

“I want the full thing,” Sam declared, though. He wanted all of Gabe. “A full bond between us.”

“As in . . .” Gabe blinked at him comically “consummating it as well?”

He nearly laughed at the way it was said. He’d have expected that from Cas, not Mr. Fluent in Sexual Innuendo himself. However, the seriousness took precedence again at a door closing nearby. “Full bond between us, fulfilling the True Mates,” Sam stated calmly. It was Gabe or no one in his mind.

“Okey-doke. Um,” Gabe forced an awkward laugh “we’re going to have to switch positions then, Samheart.” When Sam stared back and lifted a brow, he sighed heavily. “All right. So, funny story, but I think I fucked my knee up in the accident. I can feel it braced. Plus, I’ve got a sharp pain on my left side that feels like they stitched me up. Basically, not exactly in top form here to give you the full effect.”

Sam’s eyes widened before he pushed up the flimsy scrub top Gabe was in. Sure enough, there was a line of stitches that ran down the left side. And judging by the fact it was already starting to bleed, it looked like Gabe popped one stitch already. Sam gently rolled them over, so he was straddling Gabe while carefully minding the stitches.

“Better?”

“Loads. You?” he admitted, sinking into the bed slightly with a sigh.

Sam chuckled quietly. “Sort of, I guess.”

“You _guess_?”

“I should be presenting—”

“Yeah, if it’s all the same, we’ll skip that, thanks,” Gabe replied, cupping Sam’s cheek lightly. “Never liked that whole bullshit Alpha-elitist propaganda garbage myself. Having a dick that ensures parenthood, not really sure how that makes me strong to be honest. Not when an Omega faces a lifetime of jackasses who think they’re stupidly superior because they have a knotted dick.”

Sam smiled down, shaking his head. “Is this your weird way of seducing me?”

“No, but is it working?”

Rolling his eyes, he shook his head. “I know your heart. You don’t have to convince me. I know you’re not like other Alphas.”

“Yeah, I figured as much. You’re not just a pretty face after all.”

He quietly laughed, lowering himself onto his elbows. “You talk too much.”

“Is that anyway to address your Alpha, you impertinent brat?” Gabe replied dryly, eyes twinkling softly in the low incandescent lighting. The banter alone was more than reason to give in and submit.

“Not my Alpha yet.” Sam yelped before he dissolved into snickers at the hand that smacked his ass soon after. He couldn’t help but squirm as well, feeling his body starting to react to everything.

“I should punish you for that.”

“And yet we both know you won’t,” drawled Sam, challenging and feeling his heart thrum steadily as a result while he stared down. His entire body crooned in barely controlled lust.

The amber eyes stared back in absolute incredulity. “Are you saying I’m soft?”

“For me,” Sam replied, “oh, most definitely.”

When they heard another door close nearby, the mood shifted, the moment falling away. Sam tensed with the reality of their situation crashing back to the forefront of his mind again.

As fingers lightly tilted his head back up, Sam swallowed but reluctantly met Gabe’s gaze.

“I’ll give you the world later,” he promised, “but there isn’t time for it now. Let me protect you.”

Sam jerkily nodded in understanding. Gabe was right. There wasn’t time. Their captor could return at any point, and then they’d have bigger problems. Sam had seen it so many times before in cases. He drew in a slow breath before he leaned down. He smiled when Gabe instantly yanked him closer, crashing their lips together painfully for a brief second and trapping their lips between teeth.

However, instead of what he assumed would happen next, the kiss quickly did a 180, turning sweet, gentle, loving. It took Sam a moment to get with the program and realize it wasn’t going to be a mouth-fucking but a sweet make-out session first instead. He soon adapted to the languid tenderness. He breathed in all the whiskey-laced hot cocoa he could get, melting into it completely. His fingers quickly wound through the sandy waves, drinking Gabe all in as he twisted to kiss with all his body.

Cursing the fact that they had to breathe, they reluctantly broke apart several minutes later. Their foreheads pressed together as they panted and gasped.

“Sam,” Gabe whispered so reverently, his hands slowly sliding down the Omega’s trim body.

Pushing himself up into a plank, Sam shoved his scrub bottoms down, feeling the material quickly slide down to his knees. He then reached back, wiggling out the plug that had kept him secretly stretched for his upcoming heat. The cool air instantly caused more slick to start to dribble out. Looping his thumbs into the waistband of Gabe’s bottoms next, he quickly pushed them down to free the Alpha as well. From the way he was straddling, he couldn’t see what was greeting him, but that didn’t matter when hands quickly pulled his head back down and lips resumed their earlier loving caresses.

Gabe kissed as if they had all the time in the world. As if they weren’t locked in some stupid room in who-knew-where being held captive by who-knew-who. And Sam couldn’t do anything but kiss back, surrendering to the embrace while wanting more desperately.

When the fingers holding his chin turned his head unexpectedly to the side to reveal the scent gland, Sam shuddered at the deep inhale, biting his lip to keep from whining in response. However, Gabe didn’t bite as expected. He only breathed Sam in before sucking greedily atop of the gland and leaving behind obvious bruises against it.

As more of the whiskey-laced hot cocoa filled the room with a certain smoky tinge that reminded of a crackling fireplace, Sam found himself having more difficulty keeping his whines from slipping out. His slick now ran freely out of him and onto Gabe’s lower abdomen, which his frequent rocking motion spread it higher as he rubbed himself needily against the hot flesh below. The ache deep inside was turning him hungry, desperate to be filled, to be claimed, to be _his_.

He inhaled deeply then, feeling warmth and safety surround him. He hesitantly licked against the scent gland that was chanting the litany of Omega need. When he felt Gabe jerk beneath him and the smoky scent turn into a roaring fire, he let out a slight whine, nearly drawing blood to keep back his neediness. His mind couldn’t make sense of what was happening. Why was the Alpha not claiming him?

He then felt a hand curl around his cock, thumb lightly sweeping across the tip and spreading the pre-come that had leaked out. He was a goner then. He started to thrust into the hand unabashedly. He wanted to show the Alpha, prove he was good, that he could obey, that he wanted this and more. More whining slipped out before a growl of annoyance after he heard the amused chuckle near his ear. The Alpha was teasing, knowing exactly what this was doing to the poor Omega.

“Alpha,” he hissed in warning.

“Yours” was the growled reply that resulted in more slick leaking out.

Yes! _His_ Alpha. Always! HIS Alpha! His beautiful, sexy, smart-mouthed Alpha!

His blood sung with desire. His body vibrated uncontrollably.

More. He wanted more.

He needed more.

Inhaling deeply to draw in more of his strong Alpha’s scent to fill the emptiness, he whined loudly as the ache became unbearable the longer his Alpha didn’t claim him.

When after a few more moments passed and his Alpha still only teased, the rebellious Omega lashed out, biting down atop of the gland that drove him mad with need. He felt his Alpha instantly tense underneath him, but he wasn’t pushed away he noticed through the hazy lust of his mind. Thick, coppery blood dripped into his mouth, sending him higher than he had ever been before. _Alpha!_

It wasn’t enough, though. He wanted all of his Alpha! And he fucking wanted it now!

He lengthened his spine, grateful for all the years of yoga he had done.

The second he felt the hardened tip prod against his leaky ass, he threw the entire book away. His Alpha wasn’t pushing him away. So, he wasn’t being rejected for being bad, for not being a normal Omega, for not being patient and waiting for his Alpha to claim him first. In fact, when he felt his Alpha jerk up into him in response not long after, starting to thrust shallowly, he let out a gasping whine that quickly dissolved into loud moans and shuddering wails. More. He needed more!

Rolling his hips, he met the shallow thrusts, hearing his Alpha’s murmured broken praises. Rocking his entire body back and forth while doing some weird combination of yoga poses he couldn’t even remember their name, he urged his Alpha on.

“Please,” he pleaded, nearly sobbing with need.

“Pati— _FUCK_ —ence.”

“No,” he cried defiantly. “Now!”

This was all too much for him. It really was. He was expecting his strong Alpha to claim fuck him, to take everything he had and then some, to leave him a quivering mess, but no, no his beautiful Alpha was instead worshiping him like he was the most prized Omega out there. When he was the farthest thing there was. It was all too much.

“Such a,” rumbled his Alpha in obvious enjoyment, “mouth on you.” He sucked more marks into the heated skin, sending the flames inside to burst higher.

Hands then fell to his hips, abandoning the Omega’s weeping, red cock all together now.

“Please,” he begged, whimpering as the ache turned into sharp pangs deep within. “Hurts,” he sniffled, tasting the salt of his tears as it mixed with the earlier blood from the claim. He felt a thumb brush away more of his tears then, so lovingly, so sweetly. “Alpha, please,” he gasped. “Need you.”

The second he felt himself be gradually pushed back, feeling his Alpha slip further inside, he let his head fall back, closing his eyes. The thrusts were still too shallow to ease the ache inside, but his Alpha was at least being less of a fake knot floor practically and more of an active participant. However, he was still doing most of the work for his Alpha infuriatingly.

He then felt the calloused hand return to his leaking cock between their bodies. He quickly thrust himself in and out of the fist lightly squeezing him. He could feel his Alpha’s other hand that had been on his hip move up, fingers raking against the damp flesh underneath the scrub top. It wasn’t long before he was spilling over his Alpha’s fist, painting their chests and smearing his come as he continued his desperate rocking.

“So good,” his Alpha praised again through gasping breaths, pressing sweet, sloppy kisses atop of the scent gland tormentingly. “So very good.”

He didn’t feel good, though. In fact, he was quite honestly annoyed. No, he was more than that. He was pissed. His infuriating jackass Alpha refused to claim. Refused him. All the while his Alpha praised him, though, whispered how good he was, continued to shower him with love and affection, worshiping him. His mind couldn’t make sense of the mixed signals, and that irritated him.

If his Alpha wasn’t going to claim him, then he’d claim himself for the insufferable dick!

His hands went to his Alpha’s chest, needing the leverage, before he slammed himself back on yet another shallow thrust. He caught his Alpha’s stunned inhale as he himself whimpered at the brief flicker of pain he felt inside at the sudden intrusion. He didn’t wait a second more, knowing he’d pay for it later. He used his Alpha’s strong shoulders to pull himself forward, feeling his Alpha’s cock start to pull out, before he slammed his hips back, sheathing himself again onto the thick cock that split him so perfectly. He repeated this once more before his Alpha started to meet his downward thrusts in earnest.

So good. They felt so good together.

“Come on, Alpha!” he challenged, shuddering and clenching his ass as he moved. “Show me how good . . . I make you feel! Show me how . . . you love me! How much— _Oh, God_!—you want me!”

His Alpha’s hand splayed atop his stomach then while an arm wrapped around his lower back, forcing him to take every brutal stroke after his Alpha finally got with the damn program.

“That’s it! Yes!” he groaned, gasping before he stretched back to nuzzle against his Alpha’s scent gland and breathe him in more. “Fill me, Alpha! Give me that big, thick knot! Come on!” He’d take the lead then if that was what his Alpha needed. “Come on! Fill me up, my sweet Alpha! Fuck me so I feel it for days! So I remember who I belong to! Come on! Give it to me!” He heard the low growls, knowing his Alpha was so damn close now. “That all you got?” he dared again, his lust and pain becoming one as his Alpha’s knot started to expand as the Alpha fucked into him violently. “I . . . know you,” he moaned, shuddering as his entire body sung its pleasure “can do way— _Fuck_ —better than that!” he panted out, his lungs burning with exertion.

He was playing with fire. He knew that. The beast inside his Alpha was firmly in control, not the man he loved. However, he would be damned if he didn’t get all his fucking Alpha after all of this.

“Breed me!” He licked the gland, nuzzling more, trembling as every muscle screamed its outrage at the abuse. “Come on. You can do it! Make me fat with your pups!” The words tumbled out messily. “Like it should be! Give me our gorgeous pups, the ones I’ve wanted for years.” His body quaked, knowing it wouldn’t be long now. “Make me forget all about— _Yes!_ —ever stupidly— _fuck_ —considering choosing another Alpha,” he choked disjointedly, “who wasn’t you.”

A second later, he cried out, his entire body locking up after he felt teeth clamp down atop of his gland. His mind glitched, going eerily silent before the loud roar burst free. _Alpha!_ And then he felt it, causing every part of him to croon out in absolute triumph. Warmth shot through him, filling him and easing the ache completely. His sweet Alpha finally, fucking goddamn _finally_ , tipped over the edge. The knot then caught on his rim, causing him to hiss and groan in pain before his Alpha eased back in again.

Clenching his ass repeatedly, he milked every drop he could get, rolling his hips as he did.

“Sam,” brokenly cried his Alpha, holding him so tenderly.

The call of his name yanked him back into control again, shoving his primal self back hard where he kept that part of himself locked up. Bluish-green eyes lifted to glance at the man he loved, recognizing the adorning amber eyes shining so brightly back. When he felt a hand caress his cheek warmly again, he melted into the touch. _Gabe._

“A dominant Omega, well, fuck me,” Gabe laughed tiredly as he tried to catch his breath, running a hand through his damp hair.

“I think I did,” Sam replied cheekily, grinning from ear to ear. “Quite thoroughly too in fact since a certain someone” he elbowed Gabe hard “decided just to lay there like some fake knot.”

The gaze guiltily fell away. “I didn’t want to hurt you,” he explained quietly.

“Yeah, well, instead you pissed me off,” Sam stated with a bitchy head tilt he couldn’t stop in time. “So, you tell me which was better.” When he smelled the pungent, old whiskey that nearly caused him to gag, he pressed a hand to Gabe’s chest, hoping to soothe the Alpha. Okay, so he hadn’t meant to get that reaction by any means. “I’ll admit I wasn’t expecting to do all the work here,” Sam explained softly. “You could have let me in on that part, so I’d know I’m dealing with the rare breed that is a submissive Alpha,” he teased, hoping to lighten the mood back into its usual playfulness. However, at Gabe’s sharp look, Sam forced himself not to back down. They were both stubborn mules sometimes.

“I am _not_ submissive,” he argued, clearly affronted.

“Well, you sure as hell weren’t dominant either, brat.”

Amber eyes rolled hard before Gabe scoffed loudly. “Forgive me for being considerate, caring even. My mistake.” He turned away then, huffing and crossing his arms.

What an absolute brat. Sam couldn’t help but love him more, though. Of course the dick’s reasoning would be Sam’s safety. What else could it have been? “Why do you think you’d hurt me?”

Only they could delve into a serious conversation that bordered as a mild fight after sex while locked together thanks to the fat knot lodged deep in Sam’s ass. It’d be laughable if it weren’t so damn ridiculous honestly.

“Because I’ve done it before” was the quiet, huffy admission. “Anything else you’d like to know?” Bitterness seeped into every word. “Like how thanks to that, one of my longtime partners found the love of her life, Doctor McDreamy, and dumped my ass, never looking back? Or we can talk about the dude whose ribs I accidentally broke because I miscalculated how hard I was holding him while fucking him against the wall? That was a fun one to explain.”

Sam didn’t know what to say, but he shifted slightly as he re-wet his lips while his mind supplied all sorts of lewd images of them and sending his mind into a tailspin of repeated ‘Holy Fuck.’

“No? That’s what I figured.” Gabe exhaled forcefully, his jaw clenching as more of the thick, gag-worthy whiskey scent filled the air.

A second later, the scent vanished completely, quickly morphing into a sweet, intoxicating smell that radiated out. Was it . . . marshmallows now in the hot cocoa scent maybe? Sam couldn’t tell for sure, but he knew Gabe had likely smelled the current predicament or at the very least felt it judging by the scent change. He felt mortified but did his best not to back down and show his belly.

“Sam-shine?”

He couldn’t help it. He practically gushed at Gabe’s use of that silly, childish nickname. He went from fierce moose to cute puppy in seconds. “Yeah?” He swallowed down the lump in his throat when the entire forest decided to show up, practically choking them with its imaginary scents of pine needles.

“I knew you were sappy but didn’t realize just mentioning I hurt someone would really tap your sap, my big, strong Weeping Sam-illow.”

Biting back his loud groan, he glanced at the imp. However, the soft smile he found waiting for him made him forget all about that horrible, crass joke. Lowering his head back down, he snuggled into the crook of Gabe’s neck. Fingers instantly started to trace lightly against his flushed skin. He nuzzled over the scent gland that would have sent him straight into a diabetic coma. The pull was harder to ignore, though, but he felt absolutely relaxed, at one with himself again. It took him a moment before he realized what he was feeling was utter contentment. He could have had this years ago if only he’d . . .

“All right, you,” drawled Gabe, thoroughly amused as he kissed the top of Sam’s head. “Time to rest those pretty sunflower eyes of yours and sleep.”

“You too,” he mumbled, settling in more.

Gabe chuckled back. “I will in a minute.” He kissed the top of Sam’s head again, breathing in deeply before sighing quietly as he wrapped Sam up. “I just want to hold you right now, though, okay?”

“You’re sappy,” snorted Sam, stretching out lazily. This was every fantasy come true.

“Yeah, yeah, and it’s all your fault, too.” Whatever else Gabe said was lost as Sam passed out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter: The boys finally escape... sort of.


	3. I Will Be the One That’s Gonna Hold You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, all. Miss me? Thanks to all who have left a kudos on this fic. I appreciate it.
> 
> This chapter has moments when tissues are needed. Gabe and Cas had a rough childhood. That is most definitely true. We'll delve into it more in later chapters, but it's introduced here.

_I will be the one that's gonna hold you_

_I will be the one that you run to_

_My love is_

_A burning, consuming fire_

* * *

When Sam woke later, he knew something was going on without even opening his eyes. It wasn’t even a scent thing either. Gabe was holding him protectively, firm even. Lifting his head up slowly, he glanced up from where he had been sleeping, finding the soulful whiskey eyes watching him closely with a thin smile. At least the room temperature was manageable this time.

“What is it?” he mouthed. He got back a loud sigh in return that told him how his instincts were once again correct here. “Gabe, answer me.”

“I’m thinking.”

“Yeah, can see that. Smoke’s practically filling the room.” When a few minutes passed by and Gabe still didn’t speak, Sam quietly said, “All right. I’ll bite. What are you thinking about?”

“The fan’s on.”

His brows furrowed. O—kay then. “What fan?” He frowned more when Gabe held a finger up. He wasn’t sure what was going on, but he waited. After a few seconds, he finally heard the low humming noise. “Was that on before?”

“Just turned on a few minutes ago.”

“Maybe it’s running a cycle.” Didn’t mean anything suspicious. At least he hoped it didn’t.

“It wasn’t on earlier, though,” Gabe pointed out, “and I’ve been awake for a bit now.”

“You have?”

“Easy there, tiger. It’s fine.”

“Why didn’t you wake me? We could have taken turns or something.” He hated that Gabe had been alone for who knows how long while he slept. Again.

His brother-in-law merely patted Sam’s cheek, though, smiling fondly. “That’s sweet, but entirely unnecessary.”

“Gabe—”

“Sam,” he said, matching the earlier tone, “it’s fine. Really. I got to watch you sleep and see how freaking adorable you are.”

“How long have you been awake?”

“An hour or so,” he replied nonchalantly.

“What?” Sam groaned, quickly pushing himself to sit all the way up. He refused to wince when his muscles protested the movement. “How do you know?”

“Trust me, sport. I know. And before you go on about me sitting in the dark alone, it’s fine. Really. I’ve just been watching over you and thinking.”

“About what?”

“The fan was one thing,” he remarked quietly. “However, how many times do you ever recall hearing a victim state how they were left alone for hours with no real demands from their kidnappers?”

“It happens. They might be prepping for something later.”

“True, but the fan?” Gabe then raised his arm up slightly to show the access ports that were hanging down near his elbow that Sam was careful not to hit accidentally. “Or these? They’re doing an awful lot of work just to keep us alive, don’t you think? Plus, the guy from yesterday was right.” He shrugged lightly. “I don’t know about you, but I definitely haven’t felt like this in years.”

“Yeah.” Sam nodded slowly. He felt well-rested, energized even. Hell, if he didn’t know he was in his late thirties, he’d have sworn he was at least in his early twenties. “Agreed.”

“Then there’s the fact they knew about our cycles. I know I didn’t tell anyone why I was taking time off. So, they had to be watching us closely enough to study us, long enough even to figure it out.”

“Or they managed to get a hold of my medical records somehow,” Sam offered with a slight shrug as he moved slightly, grimacing at how filthy he was while also realizing that the knot was no longer locking them together. “I mean, I have been taking a lot of time off for doctor’s appointments recently.” When he caught Gabe’s head tilt, he sighed quietly before his eyes dropped. “I’m fine.”

“But?”

“I want kids.”

“O—kay, me too? What’s that have to do with anything?”

Sam rubbed at the back of his neck, glancing back when he felt Gabe’s hand rest against his hip. Where would he even begin with this one? They were bonded fully now, so he knew he had to tell Gabe the truth. It was the right thing to do. However, he knew how the big dolt would react as well. Though, he couldn’t blame Gabe for the natural reaction. He’d react the same if the roles were reversed.

“Sam?”

The truth he tried to keep locked inside spewed through the cracks, bursting the weakened dam.

“Every time I’m around Max and Alec,” he started, swallowing in dread, “I go home and think of how amazing it’d be to be a dad. To have a kid of my own. Instead of borrowing Max and Alec.”

“Yeah, same here, but I’m not following you. What’s that have to do with— _Oh._ ”

Sam closed his eyes and sighed, slumping forward slightly. Yeah. Exactly. That. He knew he didn’t need to explain further as Gabe probably recalled the awkward admission during sex, but he couldn’t stop. He was after all an idiot who had a habit of digging himself into even bigger holes.

“On Monday morning, I was supposed to head to a private clinic I found that,” he admitted rather embarrassed, “you know, specializes in . . . _that_ sort of thing for professional Omegas. It’s not exactly the normal Alpha-for-hire scenario, of course, but they boasted about discreteness.”

The second he smelled the sourness, his eyes flicked back towards Gabe. Shit!

“Listen, had I known you wanted kids or were okay being with me or any of what I know now, I’d have—” Gabe’s stare became even more neutral, which caused more words to tumble out of Sam’s mouth. He was upsetting his Alpha more somehow. He had to fix this. “I’m sorry. All right? I screwed up. I know that. It won’t—”

A finger instantly went to his lips then, shushing him. “You have no reason to apologize. You didn’t do anything wrong. So cool your jets, all right? Everything’s fine.”

Pushing Gabe’s hand away, though, Sam stared back. “But you’re disappointed,” he replied quietly, “because I screwed up.” Because screwing up was what Sam did best with people he loved.

“No, Sam-shine, I’m not. Not with you at least.”

“Then what?”

“I thought you knew I liked you. That I made it cringe-worthily obvious this entire time.”

“Well, I mean, you sort of did.” Sam shrugged. “I just didn’t want to believe it.”

“So, we’re back to the ‘dumbasses in love’ trope again.”

Sam laughed softly. “Yeah, so it seems.” He then felt the mood shift as reality once more announced its ugly presence. This wasn’t a hotel dalliance. This was them kidnapped and locked in a cell days before their cycles hit unfortunately at the mercy of their captors. They were wasting valuable time. Time that could be better spent rescuing themselves.

“Sam?” The way Gabe said it instantly caused him to glance back, pulling Sam out of his spiral. “I thought of something else.”

“What?”

“Since when do kidnappers spare no expenses on beds for their victims?”

Sam’s head tilted to the side in confusion. What on Earth was Gabe talking about here? He then glanced down at the mattress, not quite understanding it yet.

“Really? You don’t notice the big, glaring obvious thing about this bed?” Gabe bounced as if to prove a point.

“Not really,” Sam admitted quietly. “What am I supposed to be noticing here exactly?”

“Memory foam mattress, bamboo sheets, squishy pillows? None of this seems strange to you?”

Sam grimaced, glancing down in absolute shame. He hadn’t noticed any of that until Gabe mentioned it. He could hear his brother’s ranting already, lecturing how stupid he’d been not to pay attention.

When the lock to the metallic door clicked harshly then as it unlocked, they glanced back at one another. Okay, so, their kidnappers were deciding to toy with them now for some reason. Yanking his scrub pants up again, Sam quickly tucked them both back underneath waistbands and started assessing the situation. Like he should have been doing for a while now as any good agent would.

They didn’t have weapons, so it’d have to be hand-to-hand combat if attacked. However, judging by the growing bloodstain on Gabe’s shirt, though, that would have to be an absolute last resort.

“Do you think if I helped you stand, you could walk?”

“Yeah, probably," Gabe answered. "Might take a bit, though.”

Sam nodded thoughtfully. “All right. Give me a sec.” He pushed himself off the bed, thankful when he saw Gabe turn to watch Sam’s back. They were in sync with one another again, which was a comfort he didn’t know he was missing. A second later, he rolled his eyes at Gabe’s smirk. Yep, there was most definitely a smart ass remark behind those wicked lips.

“What?” As if that asshole didn’t know.

Sam didn’t reply, though. Instead, he bent forward and scooped Gabe up off the bed, feeling something settle low in his gut the second arms wrapped around his neck. He set his Alpha down a moment later, sliding an arm down to keep it wrapped around Gabe’s waist.

“You good?”

“For the moment” was the quiet reply. “But ask again in a bit. Will you, my dear Prince Charming?”

Sam forced a faint smile and nodded. He waited until he caught the slight head bob he knew he’d get before they started their slow trek towards the door. He kept his ears trained on outside the door, listening for any sort of movement. He heard nothing, though.

Pausing by the door, he glanced at Gabe and received another head bob to signal readiness. His arm wrapped a bit firmer briefly before they stepped out together into the corridor. However, the darkened stone-lined hallway was empty so they continued onward. It wasn’t until they were almost to stairs leading up that Gabe flinched, forcing Sam to stop and glance back.

“Wait a minute,” mumbled Gabe under his breath.

Sam’s brows furrowed in puzzlement. “What is it?” He took a couple more steps when Gabe did, noting how the comforting hot cocoa-laced whiskey scent was turning faintly sour. “What’s wrong?”

“That looks familiar.”

Of all the answers Sam had anticipated, that wasn’t even in the Top 100. He followed Gabe’s gaze to the top of the steps, seemingly more confused than before. What exactly did Gabe recognize? The beige, pristine wall? The tapestry of some angel Sam couldn’t necessarily make out from where they were?

“How?”

Gabe waved his question off, though. “Help me up the stairs.”

“All right.” They carefully walked (in Gabe’s case, hobbled) up the ten gray stone steps that led into a sunshine-lit, high-vaulted ceiling entryway. When his entire body slackened almost instantly the second they reached the entry, it caused Sam to readjust his hold. “Gabe?” He didn’t get a chance to hear the response. Nearby, a door opened unexpectedly, sending him to fly into defense. _Protect._

However, when a smiling, scrawny kid in his late teens emerged from behind a door holding a pair of crutches, Sam found himself thrown again. What was going on here? Gabe wasn’t hunched up, and based on his Alpha’s scent, Gabe didn't perceive the kid a threat. He seemed still very confused more than anything.

“Welcome home, Master Gabriel,” greeted the kid warmly before warm eyes flitted over to Sam. “Hello, Agent Winchester.” He bowed his head respectfully. “It’s a pleasure to meet you in person.”

Sam didn’t have time to process that before yet another truth bomb dropped.

“Liz and Meredith finished preparing your room per Boss’s orders. Your items have been laundered and mended. They’re good as new, even your suit jacket.” The kid either didn’t notice their shocked stupid looks or blatantly was ignoring it as he continued rattling off things. “Boss also wanted me to inform you that you are both expected to attend dinner this evening as all will be explained then. Dress is casual since it wasn’t known how you’d necessarily be feeling, Master Gabriel—” the kid flashed an awkward, shy smile “—so Boss said to keep you as comfortable as possible.” He then motioned up the stunning, double grand staircase with cherry-crafted rails leading up to the warm and inviting second floor. “Dinner shouldn’t be ready for another hour if you’d like to freshen up.” He held the crutches out with another clumsy smile, face reddening as his eyes fell awkwardly to the floor.

Sam watched Gabe reluctantly grab the crutches from the kid before the Alpha dismissed the kid with a motion of his hand as if it was second nature almost. There was a story there. The second they were alone again, Sam slid a hand around and stepped in front of his Alpha who was giving off loud mixed signals with his scent giving off dread while his body language screamed he was in control.

“ _Master_ Gabriel?” Sam repeated with a raised brow. “What is going on?”

“I-I haven’t the slightest idea. Honestly. I didn’t even know this place was still standing.”

“What do you mean?”

Gabe shook his head, though, sighing deeply. He then glanced around at the various tapestries hanging about the room. At the one hanging behind Sam, the Alpha’s head fell forward pitifully.

“Nothing’s changed,” he quietly said under his breath. “Absolutely not a damn thing.” He shook his head again before he started to head with his crutches towards the closest staircase.

“What are you doing?” Sam was missing something. Several somethings he noted with how out of sorts Gabe seemed. “We should be trying to escape, remember?”

“There isn’t a point.”

“What do you mean, ‘ _There isn’t a point_?’ We’ve been captured by who knows—”

“It was my dad.”

The gears in Sam’s head instantly screeched to a halt. “What?” His eyes widened. “I thought your dad was locked up?” In fact, he knew that to be true.

“He is, _was_ , whatever.” Gabe shrugged dejectedly. “I don’t know which it is now, but when I last saw Dad—yeah, he was locked up with no hope for parole ever. As it should be. However, this—” he motioned all around them “—is the house I grew up in.”

“You grew up here?”

Here? In this freaking gorgeous mansion? Sam glanced about the entryway in amazement. Then it clicked finally. Each hung tapestry represented an angel, which coincided with each Shurley child. He glanced from Raphael’s to Lucifer’s to Michael’s to the noticeable two blank spaces to finally Gabriel’s that hung above the front door.

On second thought, Sam shouldn’t have been surprised this would have been the infamous Shurley residence. Everything about it screamed deranged religious cult leader who believed he was actually God. From the tapestries to the painting that depicted the Fall of Lucifer on the ceiling to the carved-in angels on the staircases to the crazy glyphs displayed in ornate silver-and-gold frames. It reminded Sam of the Far Cry 5 video game actually only Chuck was known to be a little more casual and down-to-earth than Joseph Seed. The fact that Sam knew that was all Eileen and Charlie's faults honestly.

“Unfortunately,” Gabe finally spoke. “I had thought this place had been bulldozed down after it sold, but obviously not.” He heaved a loud sigh. “Let’s get cleaned up.” He said nothing else when Sam returned to his side, albeit reluctantly, and they headed up the stairs.

Ten minutes later they stepped inside a room on the far-right corridor upstairs, Sam finding himself almost stumbling. He just barely managed to catch himself in time, thankful Gabe didn’t say a word about it. He didn’t even know how he’d have responded if Gabe had.

“You’re the first to be in these rooms that’s not family or Dad’s servants,” Gabe announced.

Sam nodded numbly, wanting Gabe to know he had been heard at least. He helped Gabe to the comfy sectional that was nearby, standing close as his eyes swept about to take it all in finally.

Everything about it screamed elegance and money. The dark gray sectional Gabe sat on was in the middle of the room with a fuzzy Sherpa-lined blanket draped over its back. Next to the door they had just walked through was a wooden antique desk and high-backed leather chair that was tucked into a corner with opened books adorning its top with what seemed to be Gabe’s handwriting scrawled onto scattered notes. Moving left from that were five dark wooden steps that led up into a glass-encased platform that held a luxurious king bed with a strange golden lit symbol above it. Beside the steps to the left were a set of French doors that led out onto a balcony, giving Sam his first view of a large body of water that went on as far as the eye could see. He didn’t see any identifying characteristics as the water looked too far down and away to see it properly.

His eyes continued exploring, feeling even more mentally thrown. To the left of the balcony and across from the platform was a coppery stone-faced lit fireplace with a hung painting above it that Sam recognized was of the Archangel Gabriel pensively looking down onto Earth with his sword in hand and horn at his side. On the wooden shelf below the painting but above the fireplace was a golden long sword displayed prominently that eerily looked similar to the one in the painting.

“This is exactly how it was when I left that morning.”

Sam’s head snapped back.

“In case you were wondering,” muttered Gabe, leaning back with a neutral look.

“Are all the rooms like this?”

A loud scoff slipped out before a slight head shake was returned.

“No. Only the best for the son destined to take Father’s place if something were to happen.”

Sam tilted his head slightly. “So, it wasn’t supposed to be Michael then?”

Gabe shook his head again. “Nope. Mikey and Luci—well, Daddio wanted them to be the big finish. So, he played their hopes to lead against them. Unbeknownst to them, I was expected to ensure the cult’s prosperous growth for generations to come and make our name live in infamy. I suppose you could say I did that in a way.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m the reason Dad’s locked up in the first place.” He forced a proud, subdued smile. “I helped take him down by offering up everything I knew back then about all the operations. The FBI used everything to build a case against him, and ten months after Cas and I escaped, he was arrested with our older brothers, and we were finally free. We didn’t have to run looking over our shoulders anymore after that. Thus, the Novak brothers were born, thanks to our new friends at WITSEC.”

Oh.

“They taught your father’s case at the Academy, but they never went that far in depth concerning his family.” Sam didn’t know why he was explaining that, but for some reason he thought it was important. Maybe it was because he was still trying to wrap his mind over the fact that Gabe and Cas had grown up here of all places. He had never seen the photos of the inside. In fact, he actually couldn’t recall ever seeing photos of the house at all. Just the location on a map.

Sam had known of course the brothers were the sons of the infamous Chuck Shurley. It had unfortunately come up during wedding planning and turned into a huge deal when Dean was trying to figure out why Cas didn’t want to invite any family except Gabe to it. Cas had obstinately refused to explain. It had taken Sam breaking down one night to ask Gabe to find that quaint fact out.

“Probably so no one connected the dots to the Assistant Director of Counterintelligence I’d bet.” Wincing, Gabe leaned forward then and ran hands through his wavy locks before he groaned. “We should get ready, though. Dad despises tardiness.” He then motioned towards the opened door beside the fireplace. “Shower’s through there. I’d imagine they’ve set out fresh clothes for us.”

Sam watched him for a minute before he shook his head and walked around the sectional to kneel in front of Gabe again.

“And what exactly are you going to be doing while I do that?” Like Hell Sam was going to leave his Alpha alone now after seeing this reaction.

“Honestly?” At the nod, Gabe sighed deeply and shrugged. “Trying not to throw myself off that balcony over there.” He glanced away when Sam visibly reacted to that. “I hated it here. Absolutely despised the way Dad used to pit us against each other.” His voice then mimicked what Sam assumed was Chuck’s voice. _“Play your roles! You can’t rewrite fate. This has all been preordained. Stay on the path I’ve placed before you. You would dare defy me?”_

Grabbing the calloused hands, Sam stood back up and tugged his Alpha to stand as well.

“Up you go,” he stated with a soft smile.

“Sam—” Gabe started to say, clearly about to argue.

“I know. Okay? I know,” he replied. “Being back here is bringing up all sorts of crap you didn’t want to deal with. I get that. Makes it all that more important for you to be properly distracted.”

“Properly distracted?”

Smiling, he kissed the top of Gabe’s head, wrapping arms loosely around Gabe's waist.

“I seem to recall a certain cocky Alpha once bragged about how hot shower sex is.”

“Yes, well, this Alpha isn’t exactly 100 percent healthy for that. Sorry, bucko.”

Sam shrugged lightly. “Ah, see, that’s why you’re now with an intelligent Omega who scored a 174 on his LSATs, my sweet Alpha.” He grinned when he heard Gabe’s quiet snort.

“A fact I have a feeling you’ll never let me forget either.”

“Not a chance.”

The entire situation was fucked. While it was rather slightly more relieving to know they were taken by Gabe’s family, the fact still remained they weren’t exactly sure for what purpose. Did Chuck want his son to use his position for some nefarious reason? Or was it something else entirely? A screwed-up way of reconnecting? Until they knew the motive behind this farce, he knew they couldn’t necessarily drop their guard entirely. Families had a habit sometimes of inflicting worse wounds than strangers. However, instinct forced Sam to want to soothe the frayed nerves.

“Sam?”

“Yeah?”

The second he saw the pain reflected back in the soulful whiskey eyes, he felt his insides clench in dread. He hated seeing that look on his Alpha. It wasn’t natural, alien almost.

“I’m sorry.”

“Why? You did nothing wrong.”

Gabe forced out an unamused laugh. “Yeah, but you got caught up in my family bullshit.”

“Eh, probably would have happened regardless. At least this way I know where you are.”

He stared at Sam for half a moment before Gabe snorted with a faint smile.

“Anyone ever tell you how damn possessive you are?” The words were said with a certain lightness that only Gabe could pull off.

“Probably,” Sam replied flippantly, choosing to continue their easy banter. “Just wait until after next week, though. You’ll be sick of me.”

“Yeah, already am, sport.”

Rolling his eyes, Sam shook his head. “Come on. Let’s wash up.” He then paused, offering yet another crooked grin when he caught the usually mischievous eyes. “Unless you want to go to dinner positively filthy like we are.” The dried-on come stain on Gabe’s top was rather damning after all.

“Don’t think that thought hasn’t crossed my mind once or twice,” he snorted back. “Nah. It’s best if we play along for now. We’re still not a hundred percent sure what Daddio wants.”

Sam nodded before he quietly asked, “Should we be concerned?”

“Honestly?” He shrugged lightly. “Haven’t a clue. He’s been locked up for twenty-four years. He’s known I’ve been in the FBI for, shit, twenty-two, I think. He’s patient, sure, but not that much.”

“Then maybe it’s not your father. Could it be one of his guys acting on behalf of him?”

“They were all rounded up or died in the shootout back when Dad made his last stand.”

“What about a sympathizer? A person close to him?”

Gabe shook his head, though. “When the Bureau finally moved, they cut the head off the snake, dismantling the whole cult entirely. My older brothers are locked up in various Federal penitentiaries with supervised visitations. Dad’s in a maximum secure facility where he has zero contact with the outside world. And Red . . .” He sighed heavily, hanging his head. “They’re all gone, Sam.”

“Then this might be something else entirely.”

“Yeah, maybe, but Dad is the only thing that makes sense here. I mean, bringing us to the house I grew up in? It reeks of my screwed-up family. To everyone else, I was just the throwaway spoiled coward. No one would look twice at me unless they knew Dad groomed me to take over for him.”

“How many people knew that?”

“Dad’s two shadows, Joshua and Metatron—I don’t know what their real names were, but them for sure. Dad hid it from my older brothers, enjoying as they fought one another every chance they could to prove themselves instead. The more they fought, the more amused Dad was. And, I mean, Red also knew, too, but . . .”

“Red?” Sam instantly cursed himself the moment he saw the pain flash across Gabe’s face.

“My stepmother,” Gabe answered quietly, stepping out of the embrace. "Wife number Five." He needed space, and Sam would give it. For now. “Rowena MacLeod. She was feisty as hell and a force of nature. An F-5 tornado, ready to knock everything down to its roots.”

“What happened to her?”

Gabe glanced away, eyes glazing over with a faraway look. When he spoke again, it was as if he was reciting something from a book. “Dad asked her to go to a meeting on his behalf that day. Naturally, she took Cas and me with her. Meeting itself was rather mundane. Just a typical protection buy Dad would do every now and then to raise more capital for some side project he had. The owner caved right away, terrified of the Shurley name. Instead of coming back right away, she decided we’d hang around for a bit. Be kids for once. So, she told us to go wash up and make ourselves decent again while . . .”

Sam’s eyes narrowed more at the unexpected silence that fell around them with the abrupt pause.

“What happened then?” he asked quietly after a few more minutes of Gabe’s rare silence.

“We did as she said of course. Left her at the table and went into the bathroom in the back. I didn’t even notice the bodyguard left us until I heard . . .” Closing his eyes, Gabe let his tongue angrily swipe over his lips. “The second I heard the _pop, pop, pop_ outside the door _,_ I knew. So, I grabbed Cas and yanked him into a stall with me. We just hid in there, standing on top of the seat and making ourselves as small as we could. More shots rang out, and then it was silent. Utterly silent.”

Sam didn’t know what to say. He just nodded slowly. There was more. There had to be. He thought back on all the times (which he honestly could count on one hand if he were honest) he had ever heard Gabe talk about his childhood over the years. There was a reason Gabe was revealing this pain finally, and Sam knew it had little to do with him this time. It was important for some reason.

“We waited for . . . I don’t know . . . five minutes after the . . . sounds before—” He swallowed abruptly and ran a hand through his hair, pushing it back with a low growl of frustration. “I kept Cas against me, his head turned away so he wouldn’t see anything. He was confused of course, but then the kiddo finally fucking trusted me and listened.”

“You were fifteen when you ran, weren’t you?”

“Just shy of it by a few days, yeah.”

Sam nodded back silently and waited for him to continue.

“I had seen my share of, you know, _that_ , growing up in this house. But seeing her . . .” Glancing away again, Gabe raked his teeth against his lower lip before he re-wet his lips once more. “The bodyguard we were with, um, Darren or something that day, he was at her feet, two to the chest. I . . . I mean, I . . .” Haunted amber eyes darted back, searching Sam’s face for a moment before Gabe turned away again. “I headed to her. She was one of the few who actually gave a damn about Cas and me. One of the few who would step in and tell the others to leave us alone.” He shook his head lightly before he resumed. “She was covered like fucking Carrie in that prom scene, but somehow still managed to look gorgeous. Graceful even. I don’t know how she did it.” He inhaled deeply, closing his eyes.

Sam gently grabbed his forearm, offering support. They had been kids and had experienced that. It explained a lot about their behaviors, the constant need to check in on one another. They had seen death so much growing up, but that probably was the closest they ever came at that time experiencing it firsthand with their own lives in the balance. The child victims Sam had comforted in the past eight years flashed in his mind before it added two more faces.

“There was just so much blood. I-I just stared, helpless. Every time she tried to speak, I’d hear the . . . the blood she was trying to speak around. She didn’t look like she was in any pain, which was a miracle. I didn’t know what to do, though. So, she decided for me. She told me to run . . . to take Cas and run. To save ourselves. I didn’t, though. I _couldn’t_.” He inhaled shakily before he continued. “I grabbed a phone from a nearby table. I don’t even remember dialing 9-1-1, but I must have because I remember hearing the dispatcher talking.” He drew in another deep, even breath, likely trying to calm himself again. “She used all her strength to tell us to run, Sam. To save us.”

He couldn’t hold back any longer. He pulled Gabe into his arms further, resting his head atop of Gabe’s again. If he could take the pain, he would in a heartbeat.

“I didn’t want to . . . to leave her like that, you know? She was slumped over, barely breathing, but . . . I couldn’t do anything. The next thing I know, Cas and I are racing out of the restaurant headed to God-knows-where.” He pulled back as watery, reddened eyes searched Sam’s more even more frantically than before. “I left her, Sam. I left her there to die alone.”

“Hey, no.” Sam cupped his face gently, holding him. “You were almost fifteen, and you had just witnessed a violent crime. Your reactions were normal.” Deep down, he knew Gabe knew this. After all, Gabe had been an agent longer than Sam had. He bent down so they’d be eye level before he spoke again. “Do you hear me? It wasn’t your fault what happened.”

“I know that,” Gabe replied stiffly, glancing away. “But I left her. I left the only person who gave a damn about us. And I’ve been pushing that whole . . . all of it . . . away for . . . hell, ever.”

“You had to learn everything practically overnight based on what you’re saying. You had to grow up for Cas. Be the adult, _the parent_ , so you both survived. Of course you’d push your trauma about that time away. You had bigger worries then. You had to make him your priority. And look at all you’ve accomplished because of running. You became the Assistant Director of Counterintelligence. You graduated from USC. Made sure he did too. And you did all of it while raising your little brother alone.”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“It _does_ matter,” Sam argued back. He then frowned deeper, pausing to think for a moment. How could he make this clearer? “Do you know why we call Bobby Dad, not John?” He waited until he saw the head shake. “Because Bobby raised us after our real father dropped us off there hours after Mom was murdered.” The shift was minute, but Sam saw it in Gabe’s eyes. For a brief moment, he had Gabe’s full attention. “You see, John couldn’t handle being a single father after losing Mom. He couldn’t pull himself out of his grief to do it. I used to be angry over his abandoning us, but I get it now. He knew he couldn’t give us the stable home we deserved, the love we needed, because to him, Mom was everything. So, instead, he gave us to Bobby, his friend, because he loved us and didn’t want to drag us down with him.” He shrugged. “Anyway, Bobby raised us. Course Bobby never really wanted kids of his own, and yet suddenly he had to pick up John’s slack and raise a traumatized four-year-old and an infant. But he did it and made us a priority. He did everything he could to support us, love us, asking for nothing in return. He stepped up when John couldn’t, wouldn’t. Just like you did when you took you and your little brother out of there. You gave Cas and you a better life than this one would have ever been.”

“I ran, Sam!” Gabe argued angrily.

Hearing the words laced in pain burst free, his heart hurt.

“You couldn’t do anything for her.”

“I could have tried!”

“But you did, though,” Sam countered. “You called 9-1-1. You said it so yourself.”

“I didn’t stay with her, though. Instead, I took Cas and ran. I left her behind. You don’t leave people you love behind. Ever! You stay, and you fight!”

“No,” he argued, shaking his head. Gabe’s words were eerily similar to something Dean had said once long ago. “I doubt she would’ve wanted you to see that. The last thing she saw, _knew_ , was you following her orders and saving yourselves. That probably gave her a lot of comfort.”

“You don’t know that.”

“Neither do you,” he tossed back, holding Gabe’s gaze. When he saw more pain surge forward in the beautiful amber eyes he loved, he lightly brushed away the tears that streamed down. He could see the walls that had once been able to withstand the strongest emotional hurricane crumple as Gabe struggled to fight against all the grief he had shoved and locked behind those protective barriers for decades. Eventually, even the ones who were said to be unbreakable broke if given enough time. “What do you need?” he asked gently. “Name it, and it’s yours.”

“I’m going to get you killed. Just like her,” Gabe choked out, lost in the sea of despair.

“No.”

“Yes!” He inhaled sharply, trying to fight the losing battle as more tears fell. “You’re my blind spot. That’s why they brought you here. All Dad needs to do is threaten—”

“No! Okay, no! You’re wrong.”

“Sam—”

“Listen to me!” he interrupted, his hands forcing Gabe to remain staring up at him. “They can try, but that’s giving them control of the situation. They don’t have that power. We do! Okay? You and me. Could you be right and they’re using me to get you to do something? Sure. Thought crossed my mind as well honestly. However, as long as we trust each other, we have the power. And I trust you.” He watched Gabe search his face frantically, likely trying to find an ounce of doubt to justify his own fears. “You gave me shit earlier about making a choice without talking to you. Remember?”

“Yeah, I remember.”

“Something else is happening here, though. I honestly believe that. Because you’re right, Gabe. Why go through all the trouble of keeping us alive if they’re just going to kill us in the end? Why waste their time? Could it be to use me to make you do something? Sure. But why bring you back here? To your childhood home? Giving us back our weapons even?” Sam pointed at the folded clothes with their guns neatly on top of the pile. “It doesn’t make sense. Does it?” It really didn’t. “We need more facts, and we’re going to get them by playing along. You said that yourself practically. Hell, that kid downstairs even said it with the whole ‘All will be explained’ crap. So, instead of us wasting energy, let’s go wash up and then head down to dinner. Okay?”

Gabe nodded jerkily, closing his eyes.

Sam ran his fingers lightly through the sandy locks tenderly for a moment, wishing he knew how to help. However, he knew forcing the issue never worked. He had seen that firsthand with his older brother. As long as he and Gabe were together, they’d be fine. He knew that. He’d see to it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter: We meet the boss.


End file.
